Once Upon A Time: Be careful what you wish for
by onceuponafeels
Summary: Can Emma and Hook lead a normal life? Or are there too many hurdles to overcome? Once faces its newest threat, including a new character, which is often a bad sign. (I do not own OUAT)
1. Chapter 1

*Plop*

Baby Neal giggled as he splashed his way through several fresh puddles, Mary Margaret and David following behind hand in hand, finally able to admire their perfect (but more importantly, _safe_) family life unfold at their footsteps.

Neal was almost two now, and was becoming more and more like his adventurous parents everyday.

From a distant park bench, Killian and Emma had been individually studying the trio, secretly wishing for a family life of their own.

"You know something, Swan? That could be us one day." Hook said, sounding unusually vacant. Emma was sure her heart had skipped a beat. Could he read her mind? Although she wanted so much for that lifestyle now, she thought better than to tell him that.

"We've been dating four months, Killian." She managed to reply in a loud-ish whisper.

"It's, I mean, I-"

His lips were warm and tasted like sugared coffee. When he'd finished shutting Emma up, he rested his forehead gently on hers.

"I love you, Swan." He began, "Don't think I'm going to leave you, ever. So why wait?"

Emma's eyes shone with happiness but she tried not to let it show. A faint smirk spread across the pirate's mouth and he lifted an eyebrow as he look first at Emma's parted lips, then into her eyes.

"Plus, you're _great_ in-"

"Emma! Killian!" Mary Margaret was frantically waving at them with an enormous grin on her face. The pair looked at each other with unnecessary embarrassment, then cracked up.

Interlocking fingers, they got up and followed Emma's parents and little brother to the newly built playground Regina had designed for the children of Storybrooke.

_She really has changed for the better_, Emma thought to herself.

Emma had never told anyone before, but throughout everything, Regina was the person Emma was most proud of - for changing. Obviously she was still pissed with Regina's past actions but could still understand them, weirdly. She supposed it was because she also new what it was like to feel considerable pain, what with being orphaned, giving up Henry and losing Neal. She believed she would have lost Hook too, if she hadn't got her act together and stopped grieving Neal when she did. Little did she know that Killian wasn't going anywhere. He may be a pirate, but he new how to treat a lady, especially one he admired; if she needed time to herself, time to think, that is what she got.

Meanwhile, Hook was pushing baby Neal on the swings, who was screaming happily, "higher Uncle Killy, higher!"

Emma could hardly cope with this level of cuteness. Her mind floated away and she imagined her man looking after their own child. How perfect it would be to follow in her parents' footsteps and finally have a secure family with someone who she was pretty sure wouldn't leave; and even if he did, he wouldn't get very far before Charming lynched him, to put it one way.

After a while Killian stopped the swing and offered to take the toddler to get ice cream at Granny's. As the pair left, Killian glanced up and gave Emma a cheeky wink. She couldn't help it this time - she let out a beaming smile, hoping her life, as it stood, would only get better.


	2. Chapter 2

There was a small *ding ding* as the door opened to Granny's. The pungent smell of grilled cheese filled the air, and Emma didn't even need to check her watch, she knew it must be lunchtime.

In the back corner she noticed two familiar heads of hair peeking out from the top of the booth. Hook and baby Neal were enjoying what looked like a chocolate and honeycomb sundae each.

"Hey kid, better get you home," Emma said, smiling at Killian. Baby Neal finished his sundae, chocolate smeared across his chubby cheeks. He stood up and gave Emma an enormous hug.

"Luvoo sis." Neal said, his sweet voice muffled into Emma's trouser leg.

"Ditto, kid," she said with a giggle. Neal took her hand and Hook stood up to take the other one. They nodded at Granny, implying a thank you, who simply tilted her head and smiled. It looked like the couple weren't the only two thinking they would make good parents.

On arrival to the Charming's flat, Hook gave Neal a fist bump. (He had been attempting to teach him new lingo all week.)

"Thanks for ice cream!" Neal squealed; he was still struggling to fit sentences together at times. "Bye Emma! Bye Killy!" He added before running into the flat, his arms outstretched and making aeroplane noises. Mary Margaret thanked the couple before handing them an unfamiliar looking, golden watch.

"I found it at the park just after you left," she explained and turned to Emma. "I thought, being Sheriff, you might be able to trace it back to the owner?" She smiled, thanking them again and closed the door with a gentle thud.

Emma stuffed the watch into a pocket of her red leather jacket without thinking.

"What's the plan now then, Miss Swan?" Killian was the only person that had ever made her feel like she was having a high school romance, he was the smoothest guy she had ever met.

"Well I'll have to pick up some extra trousers from my locker at the station," she began, her voice slower but more high pitched than normal. "I seem to have half of Neal's ice cream down this pair." She looked him up and down, her eyes dancing as they caught the light. Before he had time to think of a seductively witty response, she grabbed his hook with her hand, and was leading them both to her office, where he was sure she wanted him to help her get out of those trousers…

xxx

Emma locked the door when they were both inside. It looked like Killian's assumptions were correct, but he wasn't complaining. Emma pulled out a new pair of jeans from her locker but threw them aside, then sat on top of her desk, smirking at Hook.

He paced slowly towards her, while removing his thick black coat. "I was too hot in this anyway," he chuckled, getting closer to Emma as to stand between her legs.

"Have you got a…er…" Emma tried to get her words out. He rested his hand and hook on her hips, and angled his mouth as close to her ear as he could; "I was thinking," he began in a faint whisper, "about that family of ours…?" His voice trailed off as he began to plant kisses down her neck. His hands snaked around her waist and he bent himself over her, so she was almost lying down.

She shuddered. She couldn't decide whether his voice sounded like a ghost or an angel. His words echoed through her and she lived in them for a moment. Then, she pulled him closer; her hands entwined in his messy dark hair, and let out a soft groan which answered his question just how he wanted her to.

**_I hope you are enjoying this story guys! A few other characters will arrive soon just in case you were wondering. It's my first fanfic, so I would appreciate it if you left a review to tell me what you think :) thanks!_ **


	3. Chapter 3

"The ocean still isn't choppy enough."

After nearly four months, the pair had gotten so used to failing to conceive that they'd made up childish code terms to make the whole experience a little less depressing.

Emma was sat on the edge of the bathtub at her parents' house, hunched over her pregnancy test results, soon joined by Killian where they shared their usual; two minutes silence during a hug, a reassurance from Hook and a short conversation on what to do next.

"No, Killian, it's no use. We need to ask someone professional this time." Emma's eyes suddenly filled with bullet tears and one managed to cunningly escape from the corner of her left eye, trickling down in all directions and seperating forming what could be seen as a lightning strike. She attempted to cover her face with her hair, but a breathless sniff gave her away.

"Dr. Whale?" Questioned the pirate, his hand gently squeezing hers. He was clearly too 'manly' to cry, although his solemn and shaky tone of voice portrayed the opposite.

Emma subtly nodded. They were going To have to tell someone about their plans sooner rather than later in this situation.

xxx

"I'm afraid there's nothing I can see that's wrong," Dr. Whale protested, just as shocked as the couple. The office they were sitting in was filled with tubes and needles of all shapes and sizes, rubber gloves and _Thank You _cards were sprinkled all over the pure white walls.

"All these tests show normal, yet you have failed up to now?"

Emma replied with a small sob, stressed about her future of having a family. Could her life ever be normal?

xxx

They went to bed that night almost silent. Emma thought how ironic it was that she'd had Henry and given him up, and now when she wanted it most, it was out of her grasp. She just wanted the experience of bringing up her own child. She wanted a second chance.

"Karma's a bitch." She muttered.

_She saw a little girl crying. She was only little; messily plaitted blonde hair, fairly plain clothes and eyes that captured the Earth better than light itself. She was being hauled into an old, cracked bungalow with a couple who were obviously just in it for the money. There was a dog there. A German Shepherd. It growled and barked like it wanted to murder, its look as sharp as its teeth. If she could smell anything, it would be like walking into a pub - ale, gravy and vinegar blanketing the clean air and contaminating it, just like her life. Ruined._

Emma screamed. She was awake, but only just. Her mind raced and her thoughts hurtled round her head like a portal. She had just returned to the present from the past. From _her _ past.

Almost immediately she realised what her conscience was telling her. If she wanted a child, she could get one. She could give a child what she had always wanted. A family.

Killian rushed towards her from the window where he'd been looking out.

"Emma, you okay, love? I have something to tell you." He sounded ecstatic yet concerned at the same time. Emma nodded, but before she could speak, Killian continued;

"I spoke to Mother Superior. She can provide a potion for you, to ensure we can have a child! Isn't that amazing?" He frowned, noticing the saviour's puzzled expression.

"Killian." She swallowed, she didn't want to cry again. The answer to her wishes was naturally in reach without the use of magic, and she didn't even _want_ to use magic.

"K-Killian, love." She paused again.

"I...I want to adopt."

_**Sorry if there's any typos or anything...storyline's about to get interesting! This chapter may not be the best but its really just a connecting chapter to the rest of the story :)** **please review as its my first fanfic, even criticism would be helpful! **_


	4. Chapter 4

A second. A minute An hour.

All Emma knew was that the dead silence that followed felt like eternity.

Hook's expression was mixed. Confused, but understanding. Annoyed, but sympathetic. Happy, but sad.

"Why?" He asked, his eyes big and puppy-like.

"My whole life," Emma began, she could feel herself tearing up already. Her eyes were melting into his.

"I felt alone. Before I came here, before Henry showed up. I couldn't understand why people would have more kids when there were so many that needed families. I spent years being ferried around the foster system, that was normality to me, but seeing everyone else in normal families - I mean _real_ normal families - it made me realise I shouldn't be living my life how I was. Killian, I had a dream where all those feelings came back and hit me in the face all at once. I think it was telling me something. Telling me to do what I wanted someone to do for me. Why use magic when we can help someone without a family?" She sighed and stood up to pace the room, the wooden floorboards creaking beneath her feet. Her head hurt and she wasn't thinking straight. All she could think of was that dog. The barking was unbearable...

"Emma!" Killian cried, he caught her just before she hit her head on the chest of draws. Her eyes rolled and when she came round, she burst into tears on Killian's shoulder. He held her for hours, kissing her and assuring her that everything would be okay.

xxx

The phone rang and woke her up. Regina grumbled as she stretched for the lit up object.

"Why the hell am I being disturbed at 7am?" She snapped, her ruling and controlling side always showed through when she was tired.

"Regina, I'm sorry -"

"Hook?"

"Yeah, Regina please, listen I -"

"I can't believe my ears. The_ pirate_ is ringing the _evil queen_?" She chuckled down the phone, almost as though she had won some sort of long-standing bet.

"Look, I need your help."

"You must be desperate."

Hook sighed sarcastically. He knew Regina had changed, but she always seemed to joke with him, like she was still against him for some reason. It seemed she was only civil with him for Emma's sake - and for Henry's. He began explaining Emma's theory, and Regina immediately knew what to suggest. Hook was going to contact a foster home and book an appointment for Emma if it was the last thing he did, although he still wasn't sure about the idea himself. He just needed to know how to do it. Regina, therefore, was the best option he had.

xxx

Emma's face was totally worth it. She was delighted to hear she was being taken to the same home that Henry was picked up from, and that someone had already been chosen to meet the couple.

"She's not that young." Hook said, sounding awfully cautious.

"I was told she's thirteen, but we should get on with her just fine."

For some reason, Emma didn't really care. She always thought she'd wanted a second chance to _raise_ a child, but she thought now that maybe all she wanted was to save a child from a miserable life in foster care. After all, that's all_ she'd_ ever wanted.

xxx

Obviously word had got round. As soon as Ruby got her eyes on Emma she practically pounced on her;

"CONGRATULATIONS!" She squealed, hugging Emma tight. "I must help you decorate her room, Granny says if you need a place you can rent the other flat above the diner!"

"That's settled, then." Hook smiled, showing all his shiny white teeth. "Thank you Ruby, your parents can finally get rid of us hey, Swan?" He winked.

"God Hook, I don't want to even think about tacos any time soon." All three of them giggled and decided to spend the rest of the day shopping for décor. Of course, with Ruby's generous help, the room was themed red, covered in fluffy cushions and fresh furniture for all the new things the couple were planning to buy.

After a weeks work, they were finally able to stand back and admire their creation.

"It's gorgeous!" Ruby beamed, and pulled Emma and Hook in for a group hug. The couple exchanged promising looks, happy and hopeful that the next stage of their plan would fit everything together perfectly.


	5. Chapter 5

Her grip was tight and she was shaking like a leaf. Hook's hand was practically swelling up, so he pulled over to chat to Emma.

"Love, everything will work out," he assured. "It's going to change our lives, but for the better."

Emma nodded. Her grip on Killian's hand faltered slightly, and she let out a small, anxious smile before turning to look out of the window.

It took them just over 90 minutes to reach the foster home, where they then spent 20 minutes filling out forms.

"She's really excited to meet you," the social worker exclaimed, peering over her half-moon glasses and smiling at Emma. She was frantically scribbling down a load of information, although Emma thought that might be quite difficult due to her talon-like green and yellow plastic nails. Emma replied with a smile while twiddling her thumbs under the table. She looked down and noticed the lady's silver name tag which read "Mrs Green".

"Well if that's all your questions answered," Mrs Green piped up, "that's us all done! Just time to meet the new member of your family." She paused. "Are you ready?"

Hook placed his warm hand gently on Emma's. "As ready as we'll ever be." He said.

It was like being on the apprentice. Mrs Green pressed a small blue button, and spoke down a microphone telling another woman they were ready to meet the girl. In a flash, there was a limp knock on the door, and as the door opened, there she stood;

She was very pretty, about 5ft 6, tall for her age, with rounded features and tanned skin. Her eyes were a chocolate brown, and her lips were naturally pink. She was wearing a peplum jumpsuit that was patterned in blue checks, with golden sandles and red painted nails. What stood out most was her hair, extremely long and curly, it flowed past her shoulders like a honey waterfall, and sat just above her waist. She was holding what looked like a blue beach bag and wheeling a surprisingly small suitcase considering she was moving out. She looked at the pair and smiled coyly.

"Let me introduce you to Miss Amber Wood!" Mrs Green grinned, gesturing for Amber to go over and shake hands with Emma and Killian. Instead, they both hugged her, and welcomed her to their family.

The journey home seemed very enjoyable. They laughed and joked and talked about life in storybrooke. Emma had asked Hook not to mention that their life wasn't exactly normal. She thought it would be best to introduce Amber the their life bits at a time, or she might just keel over with confusion.

"I hope you like red." Emma giggled, leading Amber upstairs to show her her room.

"Er, what?" Amber replied, a concerned look spread over her face, almost a frown.

"Red," repeated Emma. "That's the colour of your room, we had some help choosing it."

"Oh, right," Amber smiled. "Lovely, thanks!" She nodded to Emma and went to unpack. Amber noticed the details of the room. The red curtains with navy tassels and small picture frames that were yet to be filled. She tried to imagine what she would put in them. I hope I can make some good memories, she thought.

Later on, Hook called up to her, remembering the success ice cream had had with getting to know Neal.

"Amber, would you like to get some ice cream with us?! We can have a good old chat then, love!" Amber subtly smiled to herself and followed Hook's voice downstairs.

xxx

The majority of the town knew about Emma and Killian's news. A couple of people had kept quiet about it. Weirdly quiet. Emma figured they were probably just jealous.

xxx

The door sounded its familiar *ding ding* as they entered Granny's diner. Emma knew how excited Ruby and Granny were to meet the newcomer, but she and Killian were too busy greeting other family members that they didn't notice the blanket of frost that had suddenly smothered the restaurant's atmosphere. The short silence was broken by the sound of a bowl slipping through Ruby's fingers and shattering to the ground. She didn't even look down or swear under her breath like she usually did. Her eyes were just fixed on Amber. And to Emma's horror, Amber's eyes were fixed on Ruby. Grannie had heard the bowl crack and was bustling through the kitchen to shout at Ruby, probably for the 10th time that day. But oddly, she too, fell silent when she set eyes on the 13 year old.

Emma calmly walked over to Ruby, trying to look happy instead of confused.

"This is-"

"Red." Amber snapped, her tone sharp and cold.

"Well, Ruby...here" Emma frowned. Did she know something? "A-and Ruby, this is Amber, our new daughter."

"Hmm." Ruby let out, it almost sounded like a growl. Granny shuffled nervously behind the counter. "That may be," Ruby continued, "but most people call her Goldilocks."


	6. Chapter 6

"Hook, take Amber home." Emma said coolly. She kept her eyes on Ruby, a look of what could only be described as disgust stained her face. Hook put his ring-decorated hand on Amber's forearm and almost had to haul her through the door. Groups of locals and people on dates were all distracted by the scene, frozen to the spot and staring at Emma and Ruby alternately, like umpires at a tennis match, just waiting for someone to make a move. In the corner they heard someone gulp.

xxx

Nobody noticed Mr Gold stroll past the diner and peer suspiciously through the window, the tiniest of curves forming at one side of his mouth. He felt in his pocket for his retrieved golden watch and threw it in the air. He caught it face up and returned it to his pocket, before walking straight past as though he hadn't seen a thing.

xxx

It was silent until the door clicked shut.

"What the hell was that?" Emma demanded, her voice raised, but not as loud as a shout. "She's our adopted _kid, _Ruby. She's supposed to have a good life here. Not feel totally unwelcomed in the first public place she sets foot in!" Ruby took a step back and waited to let her angry expression subside.

"Do you-" Emma paused, her voice had dropped to a squeaky whisper. "Do you _know_ her?"

Ruby sniffed and walked around to the front of the counter, tiny chunks of pottery crushing under her feet. Her body language was so solemn-like, it was the sort you'd expect someone to use after someone had died. Maybe, Emma thought, someone _had_ died...

Ruby's eyes met Emma's. They were piercing into her soul like thorns. The answer was obvious.

From doorway of the kitchen Granny was gesturing Emma into a separate lounge room. Ruby followed her.

xxx

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Emma pleaded, her desperate voice weakening.

Granny and Ruby shot each other a look of approval. Granny placed her comforting hand on Ruby's knee and nodded with a sympathetic smile.

"She's my cousin." Ruby was almost sobbing.

"By your tone I'm guessing you're not exactly talking about happy families." Emma returned a worried look.

"We have a complicated history." Emma was beginning to think everyone in this bloody town had a 'complicated history'. However, she kept silent, and let Ruby continue.

"She's not a wolf." For some reason this was majorly important. "That's what you have to understand, Emma..." Ruby was now sobbing, so Granny carried on where she had left off.

"What Ruby is trying to say, is that she _despises_ us wolves." The tone of the word 'despise' cut like a knife. Emma was dreading the reason why.

"Her family," Ruby managed to say, "are bears." Ruby broke down again, and Emma could tell something serious had happened. Although Ruby was generally a drama queen, Emma used her superpower to tell that she was being genuine.

"Before the curse, the enchanted forest was infested with ogres. There was hardly a square mile in sight where the ogres hadn't claimed or destroyed land, but when Amber's family set their sights on a hidden corner of the forest, my family fought for it, and, well..." Ruby couldn't contain herself again, and she wept into her red handkerchief.

"Amber, or, Goldilocks as we know her, was the only one on her side of the family that survived that battle, and was orphaned." Granny finished.

"My family are killers!" Ruby cried out, "and she blames me! She hates me and I don't know what to do about it! This all happened before I even met my mother, before I met Snow. So I heard the story second hand, and now she will never forgive me, but I'm so sorry for what happened and she thinks I was part of it!" Ruby could have continued forever, but her words gradually tuned into jibberish as she clung onto her Granny's shoulder, still crying.

Emma just sat in shock. She had no idea what to tell Hook. Her only hope was to try to persuade Amber that Ruby was innocent.

xxx

Amber was sitting on her bed, furious. Of course it was Red who had chosen to theme her room, red. Of course it was Red that wanted to stick her nose into more of Goldilocks' business. Of course it was Red that was likely to ruin her new happy life.

How could she have been so stupid as to get herself here? Then again, she admired herself for giving herself a chance to do what she had always wanted. _To get revenge._


	7. Chapter 7

Hook's knee was quivering as he stared out the window for Emma to get back. He hadn't a clue what to do so sent Amber back upstairs to carry on unpacking. As soon as he saw a flash of yellow at the window he immediately shot up off the sofa to meet Emma as soon as he could.

She stuttered and her words slurred slightly. He could tell Granny had given her a drink in attempt to settle her nerves. It hadn't really worked.

"Love, I don't know what to say," it was rare for the pirate to ever be stuck for words. Emma glanced into his eyes and realised the situation was all her fault.

xxx

Dinner was unusually quiet. Amber wasn't up for much eating. As soon as it was over, she said her first words of the evening;

"Can I go for a walk to clear my mind? I need some fresh air" Her new parents nodded.

"Be back in half an hour though," Emma said.

Amber smiled and thanked them for dinner, although secretly she didn't enjoy it much. At that time of night, like the usual teenager, she enjoyed oat cereal while tucked up in bed with a book.

She grabbed her mustard coloured jacket and headed out, having to pass Granny's diner on her way to town. She darted along the street, her expression cunning, screaming revenge. She walked for at least ten minutes, until she saw it.

A small shop, wooden and old looking. There was a sign, but it was dark, so she could just about make out a couple of rusty chains. In the windows there was all sorts of bits and bobs; teapots and jewellery and statues and puppets, it seemed there was everything and anything you could possibly look for, lying around in this old place. She slammed open the door and whipped her head around, in search for her target.

"Long time no see, dearie." She turned to see a man about 50, with long dark hair resting on a sleek wooden cane. By his expression he was expecting her, and he didn't look all too disappointed. "I wondered how long it would take you to find me. Quite the curious one, eh?" He smirked.

"I'm not here for your sense of humour, Rumplestiltkin. I'm here for your help." She remarked.

"And why would I help you? You're still as young as I remember." He sniggered.

Amber clenched her fists. "I'm ready now." She picked up a glass pendant hanging from a globe in the shop window, and plaitted the rope between her fingers as she spoke. "You always told me I wasn't bad enough, but now I have a reason to be. Red destroyed my family. Its my turn to destroy her." Her eyes flashed and she returned the pendant, reminding Mr Gold of Regina when she first started learning with him. He let out a high pitched giggle, something he felt he hadn't done in a long time.

"I'll tell you what," he paced towards her, being almost intimidating. "I'll make you a deal. I'll get someone else to train you. Her name is Regina. Ring any bells?"

"The-the evil queen?" She sounded wary but slightly excited.

"Yes, that's right. The evil queen." Mr Gold's tone was sarcastic. "Now do we have a deal?"

She paced towards him further, her look as sharp as a needle. "What do you get out of it?" She asked suspiciously, inches away, glaring up at him. She was cautious, but wasn't going to let anything stop her in her tracks.

"All in good time, dearie." He smirked.

Her eyes were slits, but he was impossible to read. "Fine, we have a deal." She snapped. "But you don't tell Regina the reason why, got it?"

"Its not my problem to tell." He replied shortly. "I'll reason with her, and you meet her in the forest beyond the graveyard tomorrow."

She nodded, turned and flew out the door. Mr Gold watched her disappear into darkness and dipped his head to look at the floor for a split second, his face smug. He stifled a laugh, before sweeping through the doorway to his back office, brushing past a glinting object. It fell, almost in slow motion face up on the tiled floor. The time of 8:15 could could be made out in the dim light of a dusty lamp, and a small crack had appeared over the face. Flecks of black powder were sprinkled over the floor like pepper. Mr Gold flicked the light switch and darkness engulfed the room.

**_I hope you're enjoying it! Any reviews would be greatly appreciated. I'm so sorry for the three week wait for this chapter I've been in and out of hospital and busy with a load of things this month! - Beth xoxo_**


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